There exist three basic reasons to see a movie in the theater: because the special effects warrant it, because you have an appreciation for the art of moviemaking, or because the film itself just looks too good to pass up. Likewise, there are three basic reasons to rent or buy a DVD: because you missed the film the first time around, because you have an appreciation for the art of moviemaking, or because you fell in love with the theater version and absolutely need to own the film for yourself. Tuesday?s release of Sling Blade on DVD breaks that mold. This DVD might be worthy of your time because it meets one of these reasons, but above all, it?s worthy of your time because it will remind you what great acting and writing are supposed to look like.
Sling Blade, if you missed the movie?s release 10 years ago, tells the story of Karl, a mentally retarded man returning home after being released from the mental institution where he served 25 years for killing his mother and the schoolboy with whom she was having an affair. With his family essentially gone and the rest of the town unaware of who he is, Karl befriends a young boy and his mother. Gradually the woman and her son become Karl?s new family, loving one another in such a deep, non-romantic sense that Karl commits the ultimate sacrifice for their well-being and safety.
The progression of Karl from the beginning of the film to the end is magical, a virtual ?how to? in writing, acting and character development. When the film first released, it was easy to recognize its quality. But seeing it now, 10 years later and in a director?s cut format, simply solidifies why it won the Best Screenplay Oscar in 1996.
Today?s blockbusters are filled with special effects, flashy action sequences, canned dialogue and hundred-million-dollar budgets where the d飯r can?t cover up the rest of the shortcomings. Sling Blade, an independently produced film, focuses on story first. That?s how things are done in the South, where Sling Blade was birthed and takes place. The music and effects are an afterthought in this film, even though they translate excellently to DVD.
The bonus features on this two-disk set seem to imply that the producers, too, think the world of their film. After all, how else can one explain a complete DVD devoted to little more than documentaries and roundtable discussions? The majority of Disk Two is comprised of two biographies of Billy Bob Thornton. The first, entitled ?Mr. Thornton Goes to Hollywood,? focuses on the actor?s difficulties establishing himself once he arrived in Hollywood from Arkansas. The information comes of course from Thornton himself, but also through interviews with Robert Duvall, John Ritter, Hank Azaria and Thornton?s mother, among others.
The second biography, a Bravo profile, feels much less educational as it does like a ?tribute? to Thornton and his southern upbringing. Produced by the Bravo network, this biography has a much higher production value but a very different feel. This is due in part to the subject matter, but also to the fact that Thornton?s interviews were recorded at a different time in his career, a time when he is clearly more confident and occasionally arrogant. As a result, this second bio is a good complement to the first, and its presence on the Sling Blade DVD makes the second disk as informational about its actor and director as it about the film itself.
The rest of the features, eight in total, focus mostly on the film?s production, from a roundtable discussion about writing the garage band scene and looking back at the film?s success to various interviews with Robert Duvall and composer Daniel Lanois about their experiences working on the Academy Award-winning movie. There is also a brief segment called ?On the Set,? which shows behind-the-scenes material for three scenes, but the meat of the bonus features is definitely documentary-driven.
As an anniversary DVD release, such retrospective features are to be expected, although at times they stand out for their departure from the ?standard? making-of featurettes. These will be fantastic features for those enamored with the film, much like they will be for fans of Billy Bob Thornton, but others may find them a bit too self-righteous.
The heart of Sling Blade?s release on DVD, though, is clearly the film itself. With outstanding acting, an impeccable screenplay and some of the most memorable storytelling in years, this is one film that stands just as strong as it did upon its original release. Today?s DVD release of Sling Blade will surely have just as much longevity.
— Jonas Allen